Veasey is first African-American to represent Tarrant Co. in US Congress

Fort Worth Star Telegram

In November’s election, Tarrant County elected its first black representative to the U.S. Congress, Rep. Marc Veasey. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2005 and served until winning a seat in the US Congress this election cycle. Veasey, who grew up in Fort Worth, said he can see a difference in the city’s neighborhoods from when he was a kid.

“My black experience in Fort Worth was Lake Como, southeast Fort Worth and north side, that’s it,” Veasey said. “It’s so different now. African-Americans make contributions all over Tarrant County.” William Gray, a Pennsylvania politician, was a role model for Veasey from a young age. Gray was the majority whip in Congress for two terms before becoming president of the United Negro College Fund.

“He was someone who would be on television when I was younger. He’d be standing there, right up there with the House leadership. If he was on TV, I would stop everything I was doing,” Veasey said. “He had a huge influence on me.”

Veasey believes Black History Month still serves a vital role in teaching Americans about the contributions from its black citizens past and present. “I think people understand the big stories. They know how much of an impact, say, Jackie Robinson had. But, think about the progress people like George Washington Carver made in science and technology. It was incredible. It was progressive science. I don’t think people really understand all of those impacts yet,” Veasey said.

“Without Black History Month, these stories would never be told. I think it is everyone’s hope that one day these stories would be heavily interwoven with our country’s complete history.”

By: Nick Dean

ndean@star-telegram.com